Improvement in methods of blasting with nitroleum



m P. SHAFFNER,

Torpedo.

No. 60,573. Patented Dec. 18, 1866 TAL. I. SHAFFNER,

lMPRGVEMENT Ibi METHODS 0F BLSTE'NG WETH OF LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY.

MTRQLEUM.

Specicatien forming part of Letters latent No. 69,5??3, dated December 18, 1856; application iled November 12, i866.

Beit known that I, TALIAFERRO P. SHAFF- NEP., of Louisville, Jefferson county, and State ot' Kentucky, have discovered orsinvented a new and Improved Mode of Blasting with Nitroleum; and I do declare that the following is a full and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanyin g drawings andto the letters of reference marked thereon.

The nature of my discovery or invention consists in dividing the charge of nitroleum, making o'ne for blasting and the other for tainping7 the same being an improvement upon my patent No. 51,674, dated 19th December, 1865.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention or discovery, I will proceed to describe the process employed by me.

Blasting with nitroleum-a liquid substance commonly called nitro-glycerine, but named by me nitroleum--has occasioned an observance ot' new conditions of tampin g. When powder is used a very strong tamping of sand or other suitable material is employed. The sand is placed in the drill-hole over the pcwder in small quantities, andcornpactly pressed by a camping-iron and hammer. Gun-cotton requires the saine conditions of tamping. Nitroleum cannot be tamped solidly; being a liquid, the sand would mix with it, and the tampingiron might produce a premature explosion. It' it be placed in a metal or other kind ot' cartridge, the concussion might produce a similar eiect. The usual process observed has disregarded any ramping whatever of the nitroleum; but a given amount is used to keep the fuse-plug in its place to prevent its recoil before the nitroleum is exploded. The fuse-plug is charged with powder, which is ignited by an ordinary trainfusc, and the plug must lie in part in the liquid. Over the fuseplug is poured sand or earth, and no camping is usually given to the sand or earth. When the fuse-plug explodes, the force or heat given by the powderexplodcs the nitroleum 'Ihe force produces percus sion and the 3600 of heat the temperature required to explode nitroleum. Water has been employed. for tampin g, and it has served some good, but only to a limited extent.

To 'camp ntrolcnm according to any of the gerous, as an explosion would he inevitable.

It is a fixed law in philosophy that explosive substances, when confined, have a disruptive force in proportion to the degree of connue. ment, quantity and resistance being respectively considered. So it is with nitroleum.

With a view to obtain charge of nitroleum placed in a drill-hole for a blast, I have invented a new mode of tamping, which has been very effective in blasting.

I pour the nitroleum into the drillhole, or I place a tin canister filled with it into the bottorn of the hole; i and near the top of the hole I place a tin canister with a small charge ot nitrcleum, which is to be ignited by a fuse. Suppose the drillhole to be live feet deep. The blasting-charge will occupy one foot at the bottom. Above will be three feet ol' space; then four inches for the tampingcharge. Above will be eight inches oi' sand, slightly packed, so as to hold the fuse and tamping'charge in the positicn desired. rIhc explosion of the upper or tampingcharge will esplode the lower or blasting-charge. rEhe tamping-charge confines the lower to its place, and the disruption of roel; will be vastly greater. By this arrangement the gases act upon the rock at the bottoni of the hele, though to a certain extent the tamping-charge helps to disrupt the roel; at or near the top of the hole.

Sometimes I pour the nitroleum into the drill-hole, and `then lill the hole with water. The former, being the heaviest, will lie at the bottom. At the top of the hole l place the tamping-eharge, and, on its explosion, the blastingcharge at the bottoni ot' the hole beneath the water will be exploded and conipletely tamped. The explosion of the tainping-charge forces the column ot' water against the lower charge, and thus, as a whole line oi force, and by particle acting against particle, the required percussion and heat are produced, thus et'ecting the explosion of the blastingcharge at the bottom of thehole beneath a column of four feet of water.

Again, I sometimes use sand to distribute the force throughout the whole drill-hole, I pour the nitroleum into the hole alternately with sand, and in this manner lill the hole.

the whole force c? a i water, I ll the hole with sand saturated with nitroleum from bottom to top.

The drawings accompanying as parts of this specification illustrate these respective modes.

Figure l represents a drill-hole in rock prepared with tamping and blasting charges. A A is nitroleum mixed with sand. B is a tin canister iilled with nitroleum, with fuse D attached. The former is the blastingcharge, and the latter the tamping-charge. C C is sand `tamping to keep the canister B in its place. Unless this sand be placed over the canister the explosion of the fuse combination will cause a recoil of the canister-plug before the nitroleumcan be ignited. Instead of the sand, however, 'a wedge or other means may be employed to hold the canister in its proper place.

Fig. 2 represents the drillhole with the blasting-charge A-at the bottom, and'v above the hole is filled with Water B. The tampingcharge (Tis held in its place by any convenient means.

Fig. 3 represents a drill-hole with blastingchargeA at bottom, with space above to tamping-charge C. Above G is sand, B,to hold the tam pin g-charge in its place.-

l In case the holes are placed in such manner that the nitroleum cannot be poured therein,

.a tin canister can be employed, which,` when lled and corked, can be placed at the bottom of the hole, and, if necessary, held there with clay, sand, or other suitable material.

Having now fully described the nature and process of my discovery or invention, sufficiently full and distinct to enable one skilled in the art to execute the same, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent as my discovery or invention, is-

1. The combination of nitroleum with sand, for the purpose of blasting and distributing the explosive force throughout the drill-hole or space where the same are employed, in the manner and for the purposes described.

2. For blasting-purposes, the use and interposition of a column of Water between the tamping and blasting charges, when the same is arranged in the manner and for the purposes described.

3. As'a method of blasting in rock, the adjustment and arrangement of the tampin g and blasting charges, in such manner that the former shall be placed at or near the surface or upper part of the drill-hole, while the latter is located at the bottom thereof, or in such a manner as that the gases of the. two charges may be united, disrupting the rock in the mauner and for the purposes hereinbefore described.

TAL'. I. SHAFFNER.

Witnesses:

W. M.- SHAFFNER, EDM. F. BROWN.-1 

